Director Lee Daniels Admits ‘I Wanted To Kill Myself As A Kid’

Long before The Butler raked up $100 million in the box office, director Lee Daniels said he had thoughts of taking his own life.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 54-year-old openly gay man said he was bullied for his sexuality growing up.

“I had a rough childhood growing up — very rough,” he said. “Oftentimes I wanted to kill myself as a kid. You know, I was bullied because I was gay. And then I was bullied because I was black going to an all-white school later on.”